1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to operating systems for x86-based computer systems and, more particularly, to running multiple operating systems on a single x86-based computer system.
2. Description of the Related Art
The use of two or more different operating systems (OSs) on a single computer system, such as a Windows-based and a Linux-based operating system (OS), is often desirable for users of computer systems. Techniques known in the art that allow multiple OSs to be run on the same computer system include emulation, virtualization, and combinations of both.
In emulation-based techniques, one OS, referred to as a guest OS, is run as an application of another OS, which is known as the host OS. A significant disadvantage of emulation-based techniques is a reduction in speed. In addition, the guest OS does not have full control of any real hardware. In a virtualization approach, the guest OS is allowed to run directly on the CPU for some period of time, but has the disadvantage of requiring hardware support.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a method that enables running multiple operating systems on a single computer system without the disadvantages inherent with emulation and virtualization approaches.